Shays: GOP Needs to Get More Inclusive

Rep. Chris Shays said he'd like to be involved in helping rebuild the Republican Party after its disasterous election -- which included his loss to Congressman-elect Jim Himes -- though Shays isn't sure how he'd go about it.

First, he believes the party "needs to allow members the right to represent their districts." If, as in his 4th District, many of the constituents have a more liberal social view, the representative should be permitted to reflect it, rather than be held to the tight constraints of the party platform.

He thinks single subsets of the party, such as the Christian conservatives, shouldn't carry so much authority. "No one group should dictate policy."

Shays is concerned that the successful Contract With America of the 1994 Republican push has been forgotten. He also thinks the campaigns themselves can be run positively, rather than resorting to negative atacks.

But Shays in now finishing his 21-year stint in Congress, so he's unsure what voice he will have in the future. "I just have to get used to the fact that I will be speaking as a former member, not as a member."

[For more on Shays' transition to civilian life, check out the Courant's news pages in the coming days for an in-depth look at the last moments of his career in the House.]